


Sole-ly on Their Own

by Stories_By_Bagels



Category: Fallout 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:02:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22886764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stories_By_Bagels/pseuds/Stories_By_Bagels
Summary: Sole can't figure out what to do and looks to one of their closest confidants for any kind of clarity
Kudos: 3





	Sole-ly on Their Own

**Author's Note:**

> short and sweet kind of introspection story. 
> 
> I decided to keep Sole gender neutral i guess for accessibilities sake?? idk hopefully the phrasing doesn't get TO confusing

It was late in the evening and Nick Valentine, as always, was at his desk, radio volume turned down low. He had dug up an old case from a few years back and was re-reading it, just something idle to do since he wasn’t actively working on any cases. It had been a quiet few days for Nick ever since the um… ‘resolution’ of the Eddie Winter case. He had decided to take a small hiatus from any incoming cases. He wanted to take the extra time he needed to regroup and better figure out his forward path. There was a lot to take in and think about after solving what could be considered a 200-year-old cold case.

_‘One for the crime history books, that’s for sure…’_

A knock on the heavy metal door of his detective agency pulled him from his passing thought. He turned and gave a holler to come in. 

It was his Vault-dweller traveling companion. Not exactly surprising to see them, but more so surprising to see them so late into the night… and all alone. They hadn’t seen each other since they parted ways after their heart to heart outside Winter’s hideout.

They looked exhausted, maybe more so than usual. Nick could see the developing bags underneath their dull looking eyes. They weren’t wearing their normal armored get-up instead electing for just some simple jeans and an old beaten up white t-shirt.

“What can I do for ya?” Nick got up out of his chair and approached them.

They didn’t answer at first, their gaze down to the floor. Steady breaths making their shoulders rise and fall. Nick placed a tentative hand on their left shoulder causing their gaze to lift a little.

“Sees like you got a lot on your mind right now, huh?”

The vault dweller managed a nod as Nick ushered them over to the chair where his assistant normally was. She had long retired for the night already. Nick took back the spot in his chair, turned so they were now facing each other in the cramped office.

The soft music from the radio filled the quiet space between them. Nick didn’t rush them and their thoughts. He dug a cigarette from his coat pocket and lit it up, the faint glow reflecting off his metallic face.

He was about halfway through his cigarette when his traveling companion shifted in their chair a little. They straightened up from their slumped over posture and Nick came to meet their eyes.

“What’s goin’ on in that brain of yours? What’s eatin’ you so badly that you turn up at my doorstep in the middle of the night?”

“I’m just… so lost right now Nick. I’m stuck at this crossroad with no pleasant path out. I’ve been rolling this around in my head for days now... I’ve been avoiding everyone; no contact with the railroad, avoiding the Boston airport area, hell, I haven’t even step foot back into the institute, not that should come as much of a surprise but… I just don’t know what to do”

Nick titled his head a little as he took another drag from his cigarette. “That sure doesn’t sound like you… You’re normally a pretty sociable being.”

Nick watched them chew on their bottom lip before continuing, “I guess I thought, somewhere, deep in my heart, that helping everyone from all these different walks of life would result in some form of peace but now, now it’s so obvious how far from the truth that really is…” They trailed off at the end of the thought. Nick could hardly blame their maybe wishful thinking. This wasn’t the times before the bomb fell; neighborly solidarity isn’t as common as it used to be.

“So what’s been happening to make you so upset then, my friend?”

“Over the past few weeks, I’ve watched as The Brotherhood ready their assault on the Institute. Turning up at the Institute at the behest of helping Doctor Virgil ‘Father’ has started talking to me about a possible raid on Bunker Hill where the Railroad frequently operates. Dez asked me to my face the last time I was at the Railroad where my loyalties lie regarding them or the Brotherhood and I couldn’t give her an answer.” Their gaze fell back down to the floor and Nick could tell that these thoughts were seriously getting the best of them. It always seemed like they had the best answer to almost any question whether it’s heartfelt comfort or just a witty comeback.

A deep breath and they continued, “I just… I don’t want anyone else to get hurt or killed. I’m tired of the loss. I… I hoped you may have some kind of answer to help me? I’m so desperate for direction and you’re one of the only people right now that I can turn too and not receive a biased answer. And I KNOW that I’ll have to decide eventually in order to progress through all of this but I’m just so TORN. I wish I could just snap my fingers and have everyone be friends or at least CIVIL with one another, but I know that in this wasteland, it’s kill or be killed. I look at places like Diamond City or even Goodneighbor, despite its flaws, and think about all the possibilities we could have… But then I go aboard the Prydwen and witness firsthand just how much hate and bigotry manifests. Even their most loyal can be rewarded with banishment!”

Nick had overheard about the scandal one of the times he had been wandering through the market in Diamond City. A pair of off-duty Brotherhood soldiers were loudly discussing how one of their high-ranking officers turned out to be a Gen 3 institute synth. It caused a shockwave throughout the whole Brotherhood of Steel posted in the Commonwealth area.

Nick was pensive. He knew that this sole survivor wasn’t a fool. As they mentioned, a decision would have to be made eventually. If they hoped to move on in their life, they were going to have to pick a side. There was no running from this. Nick squished the butt of his cigarette into the nearby ashtray and leaned back in his chair a little. His joints creaking as he did.

“Hmm… this is a toughie. And bein’ truthful with you here, I don’t think I really have a solid answer for ya. I guess, maybe start with the one you are most ok with losin’? I have an idea about who you’d let go of first but that still doesn’t help the second hard decision you’ll have to make further down the road.”

Nick didn’t need to see it to recognize the sound of soft sobs coming from the person sitting across from him. His joints and chair creaked again as he leaned forward, searching for those eyes that normally contained vast amounts of brightness and hope. What he was met with instead were tinted red, lower lashes collecting some of the tears that were rolling down their face. Nick reached up with his more intact hand and wiped away a large droplet rolling down their left cheek.

“You’re absolutely within your right to not want anyone else to die. I think EVERYONE nowadays wishes for that too. And while we won’t ever be able to return to ‘the good ol’ days’ we can try and make the days we have ahead of us better.”

He gave a small sigh and offered a gentle smile, “You want everyone around you to have their chance at better tomorrows but haven’t provided yourself with that some opportunity. Really, it sounds to me that you just aren’t READY to make the decision. Which- is ok. You should take all the time you want. Spend it with the ones you love, soak it all in and, when the time comes, make the decision you’ve come to. You’re never going to avoid hurtin’ feelings, we both know that. But at least enjoying time together can help ease whatever pain may come your way. And hell, who knows? Maybe, in a best-case scenario, the person you’re most worried about hurting will still wind up loving you not because of whatever choice you’re being forced to make but who you are as a person. Who you’ve decided to become after being a popsicle for 200 years.”

Nick placed his hand on their shoulder again. “I have no idea if any of this is sticking in that brain of yours but know this, I’m glad you came to see me. I’m glad that despite knowing each other for a handful of months, you trust my opinion enough to come and seek me out when you’re stuck with this kind of dread. I… don’t really know if you’re interested in this idea, but why don’t you stay here for the night. It looks to me like one of the first things on your decision-making to-do list is to get some decent sleep for a night. Take the bed around the corner there.”

Nick nodded his chin in the direction and the vault dweller turned to look and then looked back to Nick. Their eyes were still tinted red, but the tears had stopped for the moment. They fidgeted with their hands for a moment, looking for the answer in the lines of their palms. After a few more moments of silence they finally got up from their chair.

“I feel like I’ve already troubled you enough trying to pick your brain for answers, so I won’t further impose by staying here at the agency. I’ll head over to the bar after a little time to myself and see if the brothers have a bed I could just rent instead.”

Nick felt a heaviness somewhere in his proverbial stomach but decided not to push the issue. If they preferred to be left alone, he’ll be respectful of that. “Could I at least treat you to some breakfast tomorrow before you skip town again?”

Nick watched a tiny smile tug at the edge of their lips. “I’d like that… Could we- could we invite Piper and Nat? I haven’t seen them for a while and I… want to spend some time with the people I love.”

**Author's Note:**

> I kind of wrote this to try and sort out my own feelings about this whole situation. I still haven't figured out whose faction I want to end up supporting/working with but only time will tell..
> 
> hope you enjoyed the story! my first fallout related one


End file.
